Home On The Ranger
by FairTaxGirl
Summary: AU Babe HEA - Chef Stephanie Plum decides she needs a fresh start. Little does she know that moving to Montana will change her whole life. Ranger and the MM as cowboys? Giddy up!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Thanks to my two wonderful betas – Sonomom and Jago Ji!**

Chapter 1

Stephanie Plum didn't do nervous. She was an accomplished chef and restaurant manager with more than 10 years of experience. So why were her palms sweating and her heart racing? It probably had something to do with her current surroundings, a horse ranch in a small Montana town.

The ad in the Times of Trenton had been almost cryptic in nature. "Help Wanted – Culinary Expert". After speaking on the phone with the manager, Carlos Manoso, she had a little more information but not a lot. Even so, she accepted the job with the generous salary, and drove 1,700 miles to her new home.

She needed to get away from Trenton and the quagmire that had become her life. She had recently lost her job when the owners of the restaurant she worked for had decided to close and move to Florida. Her on again, off again boyfriend, Joe, just wasn't what she wanted anymore, and she didn't even want to think about her mom's constant nagging to get married.

Taking a deep breath, Stephanie exited her navy blue SUV and headed towards the main house. She was amazed at the beauty of her new environment. The snowcapped mountains were a wonderful backdrop to the expansive ranch, and the deep blue sky and puffy clouds overhead added to the overall serenity of the atmosphere.

Before she could get to the top stairs of the porch, the door opened and out walked the most handsome man she had ever seen. He was well over six feet tall with mocha-colored skin and long dark hair that brushed his shoulders. He wore an impressive Stetson and expensive looking boots. His dark denim jeans hugged muscular thighs while his plaid shirt did little to hide his well-defined physique.

Checking herself for drool, Stephanie held out her hand in greeting. "Hi, I'm Stephanie Plum, the new chef."

"Carlos Manoso. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"This place is beautiful. I've never been to a farm before," Stephanie confessed.

"Ranch," he replied. "This is a working horse ranch."

"Sorry," Stephanie apologized. "I guess I'll have to learn the lingo if I'm going to be working here."

"No worries, I'm sure I can get you up to speed. Where's your luggage? I can have one of my men take it up to your room."

"Oh, I'm good. I only have a couple of suitcases and a box with some of my favorite cookbooks and various cooking tools."

"First rule of the ranch. We are gentlemen and always help a lady out," Carlos stated as he grabbed the walkie talkie off his hip and spoke rapidly into it. In no time, another man in a black cowboy hat came round the corner of the house and approached them.

"Ms. Plum, this is Hal. He'll take care of your belongings," Carlos stated.

"Oh, please, call me Stephanie or Steph."

"Nice to meet you, Stephanie," Hal tipped his hat at her. "Just tell me what you need and I'll be more than happy to help you."

Stephanie was stunned. Were these guys for real? She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. Things were certainly going to be different here. And she liked it.

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After settling into her room, Stephanie decided to explore her new work area. Carlos had gone back to work and told her to make herself at home so she decided to do just that.

When she entered the massive kitchen, she couldn't believe her eyes. It was a chef's dream with top of the line Viking appliances. It was obvious that no expense had been spared in creating the ultimate cooking space. Peeking into the refrigerator, she saw that it already contained all the fruits, vegetables and meats she could imagine, and the pantry was equally stocked as well. Stephanie didn't know who the previous chef was, but in her estimation they must have been crazy to leave such a perfect setup.

A polite cough sounded behind her and she turned to see a petite woman with graying hair pulled back into a bun. The woman stepped forward and held out her hand. "Hello, I'm Ella, the housekeeper. You must be the new chef."

"Nice to meet you, Ella. I'm Stephanie. And yes, I'm the new chef."

"Scouting out your new home?" Ella asked.

"I am," Stephanie responded. "Tell me, Ella, what happened to the previous chef?"

"Oh, there wasn't one. It was up to the guys to cook. " Stephanie looked at her, stunned. "Exactly," Ella stated, "and that's why you're here. When Carlos started the ranch there were only a few hands and one horse trainer. It's grown much larger in the last few years and therefore, some things needed to change. The kitchen was newly renovated in anticipation of your arrival."

"Well, I can't wait to break it in," Stephanie replied. "Carlos gave me a meal schedule that starts tomorrow. I guess I better get planning."

"If you need anything at all, please let me know. My husband, Louis, and I have a small home behind the main house. He takes care of the grounds and the greenhouse."

"Greenhouse?" Stephanie asked.

"Yes, our summers here are short, and Carlos likes the men to have fresh produce all year long."

Wow! Stephanie thought to herself. This place just keeps getting better and better. If things go well, I might even buy myself a cowboy hat!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next morning, Stephanie walked into the kitchen at 4:30 a.m. It was a little early, but she wanted to make sure everything went right. She was surprised to see Carlos sitting at the dining table drinking a cup of coffee and looking over some papers.

"Good morning," she spoke. "Are you always up this early?"

"Got to get up early to get the day started," he replied. "Breakfast is at 06:00 and I have to give the men their assignments for the day."

Stephanie nodded her head in agreement and started cooking. Before long, the kitchen was filled with the tempting aromas of bacon, sausage, fried potatoes, scrambled eggs and made from scratch biscuits. She had also cut up pineapple, strawberries and bananas for a fruit salad.

Carlos had explained to her that most of the ranch hands were single and lived in the bunkhouses, so they ate their meals at the main house. There were also three horse trainers, including Carlos, and one veterinarian, and they lived in the main house along with Stephanie.

Shortly before six, Stephanie heard the distinct sound of cowboy boots descending the wooden stairs. It sounded like an invasion as she turned to greet the men who entered the kitchen.

"Mmmmm, something smells mighty good," stated the man with green eyes. "Did you make all this yourself?"

"I certainly did," she replied. "Stephanie Plum, nice to meet you."

"I'm Lester Santos. Hmmm, good looks and you can cook. I think you'll make a good addition around here, beautiful."

Stephanie flushed at the compliment. She could tell that Lester was a jokester and she immediately liked him.

Carlos stood and introduced her to the other two men in the room. Bobby Brown was the ranch veterinarian and Pierre "Tank" Sherman was a horse trainer along with Lester. Tank, and boy did he look like one, was Carlos' second in command.

As the ranch hands starting filling up the house, Stephanie uncovered the buffet she had prepared. Everything looked exceptional, and she was pleased with the way things had turned out. While the men ate, she filled their coolers with the lunches she had prepared the night before. Most of them would be gone all day and didn't have time to come back for the noon meal so she made sure they had plenty to eat and drink.

After everyone was done eating, Carlos handed them their assignments for the day and they filed out, carrying their lunches. Ella appeared and started clearing the dishes to be washed. Stephanie was glad that her job duties only included meal preparation because she hated cleaning up.

Stephanie chatted with Ella while she worked. She asked about each of the men, what their backgrounds were and how they came to the Rangeman Ranch. Stephanie was surprised to learn that Carlos, Lester, Tank and Bobby had grown up in foster care together and then joined the Army. It made sense to her as the ranch did seemed to run with military precision.

"So how did four foster kids become horse trainers and a vet?" Stephanie asked Ella.

"There's a program for underprivileged kids called Horses for Healing. Each summer the boys spent a month working on a ranch. It got them out of the city and away from the bad influences they were around. It really worked because once they turned 18; they all joined the Army instead of falling prey to some of the less desirable elements in their neighborhood."

"Wow!" Stephanie enthused, "I mean, you hear about programs like that, but to see the success of not one, but four participants is really something."

Ella's face beamed. "I'm really proud of the boys. Although, I do worry for Carlos. He carries a lot of weight on his shoulders, and I don't believe he takes enough time for himself. "

"He does seem very focused," Stephanie confirmed, "And I've only known him for two days."

"Maybe you could ask him to show you the town," Ella ventured. "That way you can learn your way around and he can take a little break."

"I don't know." Stephanie was hesitant. Hanging out with Mr. Stoic didn't seem like a lot of fun. But when she saw the pleading look in Ella's eyes, she caved. "Okay, I'll ask him, but I doubt he'll say yes.

"Thank you. I appreciate your help with this." Ella smiled secretly to herself and continued loading the dishwasher. Little did Stephanie know, Ella was an excellent matchmaker and boy, did she have her work cut out for her with these two.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks again to my two betas Sonomom and Jago-ji. Boy, do they make me look good!**

Chapter 3

Over the next few weeks, Stephanie found her groove and seemed to be fitting in with the guys. They were all very appreciative of her cooking, and it made her want to seek out the things they enjoyed so she could incorporate them into her meal plans. Although she only saw Carlos at meal time, he had informed her that the men were not to have much in the way of sweets, but that didn't stop her from treating them as often as he would allow.

The men worked hard, occasionally six days a week, so sometimes Sunday was her only day off. Although she had promised Ella she would ask Carlos to show her the area, she hesitated. He was definitely quiet, but he had an inner strength and control that she admired, not to mention his body was perfect. She was positive he didn't share her fascination, although she did catch him staring at her several times; she had to remind herself that she was there to do a job, not find a new boyfriend.

After a month had gone by, Stephanie finally spoke with Carlos one Friday evening after dinner. Lester, Tank and Bobby had left to visit the local honky-tonk, so they had the house to themselves.

"Carlos, do you have a minute?" she asked.

"Sure, what do you need?" he responded, not looking up from the spreadsheet he was working on.

"I need to get some staples for the pantry, and I'm not sure where to purchase meat. Would you mind taking me in to town and showing me around a little. I haven't been off the ranch since I came here, and I think it's time for me to venture out."

Carlos closed the lid on his laptop and looked at Stephanie with a slight smirk on his face. "Afraid to go alone?"

"Oh, no," Stephanie laughed, "it's nothing like that, but if you're too busy, I understand."

"I'll tell you what," Carlos stood up. "Since tomorrow is a day off, how about I introduce you to some of the suppliers in the area. You already have accounts set up for purchase so it's just putting a face with a name."

"Sounds great! What time should I be ready?"

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The following morning Stephanie came downstairs in jeans, a Metallica t-shirt and chucks. She tried not to notice the strength of Carlos' hands on her waist as he helped her into his monster truck. Get a grip, girl, she told herself, he's only being a gentleman.

As he drove, Carlos gave her a brief history of the surrounding area. Once they reached their destination, Stephanie was surprised to see how busy it was for such a small town.

"Saturdays are very busy," Carlos stated. "Most people like to shop local if they can. Although there is a Wal-Mart about an hour away."

"While I do enjoy a good day at the mall," Stephanie admitted, "this is really nice, too."

"Come on," Carlos said, "there's a great diner a few blocks from here, let's grab some breakfast."

While they ate, Stephanie told Carlos about her life in Trenton and how she came to Montana for a fresh start. He, in turn, told her about growing up in foster care and his time in the Army.

"So this guy, Joe, do you think he really wanted to get married?" Carlos asked.

"I don't know," Stephanie replied. "He's asked me on a few occasions but he's never gotten over his infatuation with his high school girlfriend. She always seems to be somewhere in the picture."

"Then he's an idiot. A real man knows what he wants and makes an honest commitment. He doesn't wait around to see if something better comes along."

"What about you?" Stephanie queried. "Any romantic skeletons in your closet?"

"My life doesn't lend itself to relationships. My responsibilities at the ranch keep me focused on what I need to do. I have men that rely on me for their living and I won't forget that."

Stephanie was surprised that he had opened up so much to her; maybe she had him all wrong. He wasn't as aloof as she first thought, just very determined. She didn't know what to make about his stance on relationships, but that was really none of her business. That's right, she told herself, keep it professional.

After finishing their meal, Carlos took Stephanie to the butcher. He was an older, gregarious man with an infectious laughter. When he made a comment about what a pleasure it would be to 'give her the meat each month' Stephanie laughed it off, while Carlos frowned and quickly concluded their business dealing.

Next came the dry goods store with yet another man flirting with her. She enjoyed the good-natured ribbing, but Carlos seemed to be uneasy. At one point, she could swear she heard him growl under his breath.

With their errands complete, Carlos helped her back into the truck and they made their way home. He was much quieter on the way back and Stephanie wondered why. Had she said something wrong? Did he think it was inappropriate for her to joke around with the butcher and store clerk? Oh well, not my problem, she decided and continued to look out the window at the beautiful scenery.

When they got to the ranch, Carlos came around to help her out of the truck, but Stephanie had already started to get out. When her shoe caught on the running board, she literally fell into his arms. She was stunned from the fall, but even more so when Carlos leaned down and gave her a searing kiss.

Just as quickly as it began it was over, and Stephanie stood there dazed. She reached out and slapped Carlos. "Gentleman, my ass," she yelled. She was not going to be a chef with benefits with Mr. No Relationships no matter how good-looking he was, or how many times she had caught him staring at her. Storming into the house, Stephanie was glad she wasn't required to cook tonight. She needed to calm down.

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When Stephanie came downstairs for coffee the next morning there was a vase of the most beautiful wildflowers she had ever seen on the kitchen island. Carlos was standing next to them with his hat in his hands, looking a little sheepish.

"I wanted to apologize for yesterday," he said. "I certainly didn't mean for that to occur and I promise it won't happen again."

Before she had a chance to respond, Carlos walked out the door and went to work, leaving her dumbstruck.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks to my beta, Jago-Ji! She's awesome!**

Chapter 4

A few days later, Stephanie approached the fence where Lester, Bobby and Tank were having their lunch break.

"Hi, guys, "Stephanie greeted. "What's going on?"

"Hey, Beautiful, we've never seen you out here before," Lester said. "Thinking of a change in career?"

"No thanks, I'll leave the really hard work for you all," she laughed.

"What's going on with you and boss man?" Tank questioned.

Stephanie was shocked. Was it that obvious? Yes, Carlos had been avoiding her lately, but she didn't think anyone had noticed.

"Nothing, why do you ask?" she replied warily.

"He's been a real ass lately, and Hal saw you slap him a couple days ago," Bobby supplied.

Damn it! She so didn't want this to become a thing. "We just had a small disagreement; nothing to be concerned about."

"Oh, we're concerned because he's been riding us extra hard, and I think it has something to do with your small disagreement", Tank stated.

Stephanie blew out an exaggerated breath and spilled her guts. She told them exactly what had transpired and how bad she felt. It felt good to get it off her chest. She wanted to get to know Carlos on a personal level, but his kiss had thrown her for a loop.

Lester jumped down from the fence and put his arm around Stephanie's shoulder. "I've got an idea of how you can redeem yourself. Go on a date with me," he wiggled his eyebrows.

"Lester, this is serious!" Stephanie exclaimed. "Besides, your girlfriend, Emily, might have something to say about that. I'm thinking it's a good thing she's a nurse because you'll need one when I finish kicking your ass."

Holding up his hands in surrender, Lester backed away with a crooked grin on his face.

"Listen, little girl," Tank spoke, "next Saturday is the annual harvest festival in town. Rangeman Ranch always has a booth, so maybe you could volunteer to help."

"That's a great idea!" Stephanie exclaimed. "Wait, what would I need to do? I wouldn't have to rope anything would I?"

"Naw, nothing like that," Bobby said. "We sponsor kids every summer for the Horses for Healing program. People buy tickets for a raffle and it helps defer some of the cost."

Stephanie's mind was going a million miles a minute. "What if I do some baking and we can sell the products at the booth?"

"Now you're thinking, Beautiful."

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Carlos was angry with himself. He usually never lost control of his emotions, but damn it was hard for him to keep calm around a certain blue-eyed, curly-haired chef. When she had fallen into his arms, kissing her had been purely instinctual.

He had been avoiding her lately, hoping it would help keep him in check, but all it did was foster the longing to have her in his bed. And not just for one night.

As he rounded up the horses into the paddock, he decided his best course of action was no action at all. Hopefully, it was all water under the bridge and they would never have to discuss it again.

That same evening, he was approached by Stephanie regarding the harvest festival. He was surprised and pleased that she wanted to help. He was also relieved that she wasn't harboring any ill will toward him. He was beginning to understand what a good friend she could be and he appreciated her assistance.

Now he just had to stop thinking about kissing her.

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The following Saturday, Stephanie loaded up her SUV with all the products she was going to sell. She had made blueberry muffins, apple turnovers, banana nut bread, and chocolate chip cookies. She had convinced Lester, Tank and Bobby into helping her package them by giving the guys samples. Some of the packaging was a little off, but she didn't care, it was the thought that counted.

When she arrived at the booth, a white tent had already been set up along with a few tables and some chairs. Before she even had a chance to open her door, Carlos was opening the hatchback and taking out her tablecloths, signage and treats.

They worked in companionable silence to get everything ready to sell. The other men would be rotating shifts, but Carlos, as the owner of the ranch, would be there all day. When everything was set up, Stephanie snapped a few pictures to post on Facebook.

Looking around, Stephanie could feel the mood of the town. A small parade would be held to mark the start of the festival and then the street would be blocked off to foot traffic only. Booths lined both sides of the street and she was really getting into the spirit of things.

She and Carlos were chatting casually when a stunning blonde walked up to the booth and put her hands on her hips. She was wearing skinny jeans, high-heeled cowboy boots and a western shirt with several buttons undone showing her cleavage.

Suddenly, Carlos put his arm around Stephanie's waist and pulled her close as if to protect her.

"Carlos, where have you been lately?" the blonde purred. "I haven't seen you in forever!"

"Hello, Celeste," he responded coldly.

Stephanie immediately got the feeling this Celeste person was not someone that Carlos wanted to be around.

"Momma and Daddy are having a big harvest party tonight, and I wanted to make sure you'll be there. You know they miss seeing you around," she pouted.

"I'm not interested, Celeste," Carlos stated. "We were never an item and I would prefer if you would stop acting like we were. I appreciate that your father gave me a job when I was discharged from the military, but that doesn't make us a couple."

As if just seeing Stephanie for the first time, Celeste gave her a once-over and remarked with a sneer, "I thought your maid only helped around the house."

"Cut the shit, Celeste!" he stated vehemently, "you know that Ella is still with me. This is Stephanie Plum, my new chef. And I would appreciate you showing her and Ella the respect they deserve."

"Really, Carlos, fooling around with the help now?" she shot back.

Without thinking, Stephanie turned Carlos' face towards hers and said, "Yes he is." And then she kissed him. When they broke apart, Celeste was gone and it was just the two of them again.

"Um, you're not going to slap me, are you?" Stephanie joked.

"Absolutely not, Babe."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks again to Jago-ji for her superior beta skills!**

Chapter 5

As the weeks progressed, Stephanie and Carlos saw quite a bit of each other, but things had not evolved since their kiss at the harvest festival. Their interaction was limited to her work as a chef, plus he had shown Stephanie some of his horse training tricks and even promised to teach her to ride.

Although they were just friends, he seemed to touch her every chance he got. The mixed messages were driving Stephanie crazy, so she decided to ask Ella for advice.

She stopped Ella one morning after the men left for work and explained her situation.

"Men are idiots," Ella told her right off the bat. "They have a good thing standing in front of them and they ignore it."

"I've been here a few months now so I'd like to start dating again," Stephanie confessed. "At first I was worried about being 100% professional, but now I'd be disappointed if Carlos wasn't interested. If he wants to keep his no relationship stance, then I need to move on."

"And that's exactly what you're going to do, my dear," Ella advised.

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Saturday evening there was a knock at the front door of the main house. Since Carlos was the only one downstairs at the time, it was up to him to answer it. Standing on the porch was David Klein, the town dry goods clerk.

"Hello, David. It's a little late to be making a delivery, isn't it?" Carlos questioned.

"Oh, I'm not here to deliver. I'm here to pick up," David replied.

About that time, Stephanie came down the stairs wearing a green and white sundress and white gladiator sandals.

"Hi, David, I'm ready to go," she greeted him.

"Great, I have a fun evening planned." David smiled and took Stephanie's arm. They walked out the door, leaving Carlos dumbstruck in the foyer.

A week later, Stephanie prepared a classic picnic complete with cold fried chicken and potato salad. She and David ate under a tree at the top of a ridge that overlooked the ranch. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, and Stephanie was enjoying herself. David was funny and kind. He told her hilarious stories about the townspeople and his experiences growing up in the area. Although she wasn't conscious of it, she made sure David was off the ranch before Carlos returned from his business trip to Billings.

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Stephanie woke the following Saturday morning excited. Carlos was going to begin her riding lessons today. The only other horse she had been on was in front of the A&P when she was five so she was anxious to get started.

Dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, hat and her new red cowboy boots, Stephanie went downstairs to get a cup of coffee before meeting Carlos. She never thought she would be the kind of girl to wear cowboy boots, but Montana was really growing on her.

Finding Carlos in the barn, Stephanie stopped dead in her tracks. Standing next to Carlos was Celeste. They seemed to be deep in conversation about something, and Stephanie's stomach sank. From what she knew, he didn't want anything to do with Celeste, so why was she here?

Sensing her presence, Carlos turned and greeted Stephanie.

"Morning, Stephanie. I'm just finishing up with Celeste. I'll be with you in a minute." Celeste gave her an eat shit look and looped her arm in Carlos' as they walked out of the barn.

Stephanie's excitement for the day dissipated. What the hell was going on? Was he trying to make her jealous because of David? Were he and Celeste actually involved? Before she had a chance to totally flesh out her thoughts, Carlos was back.

"Ready to do this, Babe?" he asked.

Babe? He was seriously going to call her babe when he just had his arm around another woman? "What was Celeste doing here?" she blurted out. "I thought you were not a fan of hers."

"I'm not. She was here on behalf of her father. He's been thinking of selling some acres for a while now, and I'm interested in buying them."

"Oh." Stephanie felt like a jerk. Why did she think the worst? It wasn't her business whom Carlos interacted with. Because you like him, the little green monster whispered to her.

Shaking off her thoughts, Stephanie smiled up at Carlos. "I'm ready whenever you are."

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Carlos started Stephanie with the basics which included properly caring for the equipment and horse. There was also a lesson on safety. Although he would never intentionally put her in harm's way, a 1,200 pound animal could sometimes be unpredictable.

Once she was saddled up, Carlos had her slowly walk the horse around the training ring. Because she was a newbie, he had put her on one of his gentlest mares. Stephanie wasn't going very fast, but she was having the time of her life.

When Carlos suggested they hit the open pasture, she was thrilled. Stephanie wanted to grab the cowboy hat off her head and smack it against her leg as the horse sped up. No wonder the guys loved horses so much. She felt alive!

They rode to a small stream on the property and stopped to let the horses drink. As Carlos drank his own water, he listened to Stephanie's excited chatter about riding. He was pleased that she was having such a good time. Hopefully, it would make her forget about David.

Just as he was putting the cap back on his canteen, Stephanie's horse let out a cry and reared up tossing her off. It was then that Carlos heard the unmistakable sound of a rattlesnake.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This chapter is super short but I wanted get it out there because of the previous cliffhanger. I'm already working on chapter 7.**

Chapter 6

Acting on instinct, Carlos radioed Bobby for help. Even though he was a vet, Bobby could assist with Stephanie, as well as the bitten horse, until the paramedics arrived. Stephanie was lying on her back, unconscious, with her left arm twisted in a grotesque fashion. Carlos checked to make sure she was breathing and then scoured the area to make sure the rattlesnake was gone.

As the minutes ticked by, Carlos was trying not to panic. He had seen much worse on the field of battle, but the sight of a lifeless Stephanie had him fighting for control. After what seemed like hours, he heard the sound of ATVs coming across the pasture.

Bobby, Tank and Lester came to a screeching halt in front of Carlos and jumped into action. Bobby immediately headed for Stephanie with Tank and Lester securing the horses.

At the same time that Bobby approached her, Stephanie started to rouse.

"What's happening?" she croaked.

Carlos took her right hand in his and tried to calm her. "It's going to be okay, Babe. You were thrown from the horse, but Bobby's here to help you."

Tears leaked from Stephanie's eyes as she told Carlos, "It hurts so much."

"Tell me where it hurts, Chef," Bobby instructed.

"Everywhere," she responded. "Especially my left arm."

"Unfortunately, I can't give you anything for the pain," he advised. "But it sounds like help has arrived." About that time, Stephanie heard the sirens from across the field.

The paramedics made quick work of assessing Stephanie's injuries. They gave her a welcome shot of morphine for the pain, immobilized her arm and moved her onto a back board. As they were loading her into their specialized all-terrain ambulance, she gave Carlos a frightened look and he knew he had to ride with her to the hospital. "I'm not leaving your side, Babe." Maybe it was the drugs hitting her system, or the feeling of relief that Carlos was by her side, either way, Stephanie let herself relax and fall into the darkness. The guys watched as the ambulance drove across the field, and they turned to the horses to check them out and treat the mare's snake-bitten leg.

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While Stephanie lay sleeping in her hospital bed, Carlos stayed at her side. He had plenty of time to think, and that's just what he did. He thought about his no relationship stance, and since meeting Stephanie it seemed like a silly self-enforced rule. His whole world had been turned upside down since he had gotten to know the spunky chef with the beautiful blue eyes. He had been working hard for years and now it was time to do something for himself. Lester, Tank and Bobby were all in relationships; why not him? They had all been after him to take time to live for something other than the ranch, and that's what he was going to do, as soon as Stephanie woke up.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Last chapter! Thanks to all my reviewers - you don't know how much you mean to me. Thanks to Jago-ji, my spectacular beta. You should really check out her stories!**

Chapter 7

Stephanie was wide awake the next morning even though the nurses had kept her up all night, checking to make sure she didn't have a concussion. Her back was sore and her arm ached from the surgery to repair it, but Carlos had made sure she was as comfortable as possible. Speaking of Carlos, he began to stir.

"Don't you have to be back at the ranch?" she asked him.

"Nope," he said groggily. "The guys are handling things so I can take care of my girlfriend."

"Where is she? I'd like to meet her," Stephanie said with a twinkle in her eye.

"You would really like her. She's funny and smart, and, man, can she whip up a batch of pancakes! The men haven't eaten so well in years."

"What makes you think she's your girlfriend? The last I remember you had a no relationship policy."

"Well, that's the thing," he began, leaning closer. "She's so great that I decided to give that up. It made sense to live that way, until she came along."

The sweet sentiment of Carlos' change of heart brought tears to Stephanie's eyes. He was a good man and she was lucky to have found him.

Carlos brought his hand up to caress her cheek and brush away her tears. "Don't cry, Babe," he said. "This is a good thing, and it's about to get better." With that he closed his mouth over hers and gave her a passionate good morning kiss. Her right hand tangled in his hair as their kiss strengthened. Stephanie thought she heard the door open and then….

"Damn! That's what I'm talking about!" Lester whooped as he interrupted their moment. "Go, boss man!" Tank smacked Lester in the back of the head and Bobby gave him an elbow to the ribs. "Hey, why'd you do that?" Lester whined. "We all wanted to see them together."

"Because you have all the tact of a bull in a china shop." Emily stated as she walked into the room.

"Hi, Stephanie. I'm Emily, your day nurse and unfortunately, Lester's girlfriend," she said with a wink.

"Hi, Emily, nice to meet you. When can I get out of here?"

Emily laughed. "Well, the doctor is making his rounds now and as soon as I get his approval, I'll start your paperwork."

"Thank goodness," Stephanie breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm not a big fan of hospitals."

"Do you have someone that can look after you for the next few days?" Emily asked.

"Yes," Carlos answered for her. "She'll be under my care."

"Getting a little bossy, aren't you?" Stephanie replied.

Carlos just growled.

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Several days had passed and Stephanie was going stir crazy. Carlos watched her like a hawk and wouldn't let her so much as lift a spatula. The men were back to cooking for themselves and it was driving her batty. Poor Ella had to clean up after them and she was also frustrated.

Finally, one afternoon while Carlos was out on ranch business, Stephanie decided to make her favorite double chocolate cake recipe. Maybe if she showed him she wasn't an invalid he would ease up on her restrictions. Granted, it was incredibly sweet and she adored the sentiment, but at the same time, grrrr!

After some initial difficulties, Stephanie seemed to get the hang of the whole one-arm baking problem. She had just about finished icing the cake when Carlos walked in.

"Babe, what are you doing?"

"Making a cake," she responded. "Wanna lick the bowl?"

Carlos quirked an eyebrow and his lips tipped upwards. "Is that an invitation, Babe? Because I can think of something else I'd like to lick."

Stephanie could feel her face go up in flames. Even though she hadn't been trying to bait him, the thought gave her pause. They'd been dancing around this for weeks. All the stolen kisses and hot make-out sessions had been leading them to being physically intimate. She swallowed and answered, "Yes, it is."

Carlos simply said, "Good. Don't forget to bring the icing."

R&S R&S R&S R&S R&S R&S

Hours later, as they lay tangled together, Stephanie sighed in contentment.

"Deep thoughts, Babe?"

"Just thinking about how happy I am. I never thought I could be this happy."

Carlos tightened his hold on her and gently kissed her lips. Looking deep into her eyes, he spoke from his heart. "I love you, Babe. I want you to be mine. Always."

Tears shone in her eyes. "Oh, Carlos, I love you, too."

 **Epilogue – 5 years later**

Standing in the kitchen, and looking out at the training ring, Stephanie had known this day would come. Her baby boy was going to have his first solo horse ride today. Carlos, Jr. was beyond excited and she was beyond nervous. He had talked about nothing but being a real cowboy like his daddy all week. Strong arms surrounded her from the back and rested atop her swollen belly. "How's my baby girl treating you this morning, Mommy?"

"Better than your son," Stephanie replied. Carlos gently turned her around to face him. "Babe, we've talked about this. He'll be just fine."

"I know," she sighed. "He'll have every safety featured known to man attached to him, but he's still my baby."

Carlos chuckled and held his wife tight. Their last five years together had been nothing short of magical. They had married six months to the day after meeting. Although they had originally planned to wait to start a family, Carlos, Jr. had surprised them both. Looking into her blue eyes, he was thankful that she answered his ad all those years ago. Not exactly a traditional beginning, but he'd take it.


End file.
